Specificity Identifiability NPs with classifier phrases in discourse

Kmhmu classifiers in the context of NPs are involved in discourse level functions which include signalling the specificity, identifiability, and thematic salience of referents.

3.5.1 Specificity

Specificity relates to individuation, whereby a sort noun which is a concept in a generic sense, is further defined as being bounded and embodied in particular examples in the real world Foley 1997. In terms of discourse functions, individuation is used to signal that a specific referent as opposed to a generic referent is being identified. This is exemplified in 50. In Man_eater.003, the idea that there were tigers attacking people is first introduced with the NP rɑˈwɑɑj tigers. This is a generic use of tiger. In Man_eater.004, an event is related in which a specific animal is referred to by the NP rɑˈwɑɑj mooj too a tiger, or a particular tiger. The classifier phrase mooj too one animal signals that this is a specific tiger. 50Man_eater.003 bɑt turn ɡii this_one tɑŋ then ɡɑj but_then kəət be_born ʔɑh have rɑˈwɑɑj tiger ɡɑɑj DIR pok bite ɡɑɑj DIR mɑh eat kɔɔn kɨmˈmuʔ Kmhmu people lootɕ totally tɑŋ then məh be sip ten məh be sɑɑw twenty ɡon Clf_people Then at this time, it came about that there were tigers that came and attacked, came and ate Kmhmu people; in total it was ten or twenty people. Man_eater.004 tɑˈwɑɑŋ time_interval moŋ Clf_months sɑɑm three bɑn Clf_thousands kɑw nine rɔɔj Clf_hundreds sii four sip Clf_tens pɛɛt eight ʔɑh have rɑˈwɑɑj tiger mooj one too Clf_animals ɡɑɑj DIR pok bite mɑh eat jɑʔ Ms dɛɛŋ Daeng In the third month of nineteen forty-eight, there was a tiger that came and attacked and ate Ms Daeng. Specificity may also be signalled using a proper noun or a possessor. 48

3.5.2 Identifiability

When a new referent is introduced into Kmhmu discourse, a classifier phrase with the numeral one is used to signal that this referent is unidentifiable, a brand new referent. In cognitive terms, this tells the hearer not to search for an existing mental representation but to create a new one. An example is shown in 51, where the orphan is introduced for the first time with an NP which includes the classifier phrase mooj ɡon one person. 51Orphan.002 lɛʔ and ʔɑh have kɔɔnˈrook orphan mooj one ɡon Clf_people And there was an orphan.

3.5.3 Thematic salience